Rainy Day Fun

I was determined to go to on a garden walk yesterday so of course it was raining from the moment we got up until well past when I had to go to work.  I immediately got online looking for alternative activities which is how I discovered the Delaware Museum of Natural History.

White Clay Creek

I led a hike on Thursday through White Clay Creek PA/DE.  I am NOT a good hike leader.  A good hike leader would have verified the existence of the bridge so as to avoid an extra two miles of frantic how are we ever going to get back to the car hiking.  Sorry everyone.  But look how pretty. 

P.S. It would be helpful if the PA DCNR would update the White Clay Creek Preserve map.  Thank you.

Delphinium at Mt. Cuba Center

Root Space

I have something of a fascination with trees that grow into each other like this. I tried to make a painting of another pair of ingrown (?) trees. Unfortunately I couldn't quite convey that sense of entanglement. It just looked like a painting of two trees. One day I'll figure it out.

Some Kind of Purple Wild Flower

I took this photo last fall in Delaware near the shore.

DCCA

Olivia and I at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art in Wilmington. Photo by Olivia.

AUCLATDOTW : 4 : What is that?

If anyone knows that that bug is I'd love to know. That's what I love about hiking- you just never know when you'll see something new. We hiked 7 miles around Lums Pond in Delaware yesterday. The most we'd done before was 4- maybe. All summer the plan had been to build up our stamina for the big hike. But instead of that sensible plan we took a month off. During our last attempted hike the mosquitos chased us back to the car. So we sat around like lumps for a month and then idiotically decided to get back into it by walking almost twice as far as we ever had. We made it. Barely. But even when we'd only gone three miles and were already exhausted I never really considered turning around. Mentally three familiar miles seems longer than four unfamiliar ones. I am absolutely driven on by the possibility of seeing something new, unexpected or unusual. I love the treasure hunt aspect of hiking.

Delaware

We went down to Delaware today to see sea birds eating horseshoe crabs. We did see quite a few of those, although too far away for my camera. Much of our sea bird viewing was foiled by fog. Luckily we stopped on the way home at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Our first, and most exciting, encounter was with these fox kits sunning themselves outside their den.



The blue grosbeak was not impressed by our car and sat in the road long enough for me to get a photo. That worked out well since I didn't actually know what it was. The area is very beautiful and we saw many other birds. Most of my really good photos are of trees, but I think I've posted enough trees for a while.


And by special request: Trilliums
These are from the wild flower tour we took last weekend. It was at the Mount Cuba Center, also in Delaware.